Lost Luggage: The Fear of Every Traveler

I am very familiar with lost luggage while traveling. I don’t know how I get to be so lucky!

I always think it’s because I overpack and the luggage handlers don’t like my 50lb bag. Last year when we went to Florida, my suitcase was sent on to a far away land.

We were OK with the fact it would be delivered later that same evening. However that never happened. The delivery time kept getting pushed back. So finally at 3:30 AM the driver delivered my suitcase all the while waking up the entire house where we were staying.

Hopefully I won’t have much more excitement when it comes to lost luggage. I now always bring an extra outfit in my carry on just in case.

If your luggage doesn’t arrive when you do, head directly to the baggage claim office for your airline and put in a claim ticket. Be sure you know the brand/color/size of your luggage. Take a picture of all your luggage before you leave on your trip. It will make the process go much faster, trust me!

How to avoid lost luggage:

You can’t always prevent lost luggage but there are steps you can take to minimize it happening. Some of my recommendations include:

1) Label the outside and inside of your luggage

Put a luggage tag on the outside of each bag you are taking on your trip. Include your name and contact info (phone number and email). I would not include a home address.

Place a luggage tag or card on the inside of your luggage as well. The best place for this is in a large zippered pocket inside your luggage.

2) Make your luggage stand out

Choose a fun color when you purchase new luggage. If you have to go with black luggage, tie something unique and colorful on the bag so it stands out and you know it’s yours. A bright colored duct tape or luggage tag mentioned above would work well.

3) Always remove old airline baggage tags

The first thing I do when arriving to my destination or after coming home is remove the airline baggage tags and stickers they put all over my luggage at check in.

4) Lock your luggage

Buy a set or two of TSA luggage locks. We use these on every piece of luggage we check for our flight. If they lose your luggage, this will minimize the theft of your belongings. Only TSA agents can access your bags so they would be held accountable.

According to Travel and Leisure last year, nearly 1.8 million pieces of luggage were lost, stolen or damaged. That’s scary! Lost luggage is the fear of every traveler so being prepared can help minimize the loss of your luggage when traveling.